Hidden Valley Blog

The Holiday season is fast approaching and with it the cold weather. Many people ask where the animals go during the winter and I am here to answer your questions.  Hidden Valley Animal Adventure has many animals and luckily most of them can withstand the cold temperatures.

Certain animals absolutely love the snow such as the bison, elk, and yak. These animals are left out in the snow during the winter as they love to play in blizzard conditions.

Bison have a shaggy, long, dark brown winter coat, that is so well insulated that snow can settle on its back without melting.

Elk in the winter, they reconvene into larger herds, though males and females typically remain separate. The herds return to lower valley pastures where elk spend the season pawing through snow to browse on grass or settling for shrubs that stand clear of the snow cover.

Yaks have very long hair to keep them warm and dry, especially in the cold winter months. Their horns are used for defense but also to get through snow in order to get the plants that are buried beneath it.

The rest of the animals at Hidden Valley Animal Adventure either have access to a three sided building or are in a fully enclosed building.

The animals that have access to a three sided building are well adapted to cold temperatures but can not withstand the harsh elements of winter, therefore they have the ability to be under shelter and can protect themselves.  The other animals such as the birds, antelope, etc. are moved into a fully enclosed building where they are kept dry and warm until spring comes back around.